Spanish–English dictionary

pista de aterrizaje

An aircraft landing field, usually with one runway and only basic facilities.

pista de despegue

(aviation) A section of land, usually paved, for airplanes to land on or take off from.

pista falsa

(figuratively) A clue, information, argument, etc. that is or is intended to be misleading, diverting attention from the real answer or issue.

pistachero

The nutlike fruit of this tree.

pistacho

The nutlike fruit of this tree.

pistar

(transitive) To convert into a mash; to reduce to a soft pulpy state by beating or pressure

pisto

A traditional French Provençal stewed vegetable dish consisting primarily of tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant.

pistola

A very portable, short firearm, for hand use, which fires bullets or projectiles, such as a handgun, revolver, pistol, or Derringer.

pistolera

A criminal armed with a gun, especially a professional killer.

pistolero

A criminal armed with a gun, especially a professional killer.

pistoletazo de salida

(football, American football) The opening kick of each half of a game of football.

pistón

a metal cap found on muzzleloading firearms that contains chemical substances such as fulminate that explode upon impact

pistón hidráulico

A piston powered by hydraulic pressure.

pit

(motor racing) An area at a racetrack used for refueling and repairing the vehicles during a race.

pita

Any plant in the large, variable genus Agave: succulent plants, commonly armed with formidable prickles; they flower at maturity after several years, and generally die thereafter; large species, such as the maguey or century plant, (Agave americana), produce gigantic inflorescences. Several are of economic importance as sources of fibre such as sisal, and alcoholic beverages such as tequila.

pitada

Any high-pitched sound similar to the sound made by whistling.

Pitágoras

Pythagoras (c. 570 – c. 495 BC), an Ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher.

pitagorín

(slang, sometimes, derogatory) A very intelligent and usually studious, erudite person.

pitanza

An amount, portion, or share that is allotted or granted; a sum granted as a reimbursement, a bounty, or as appropriate for any purpose.

pitar

(team sports) To make a piercing sound which signals a referee's action or the end of a game.

pitazo

A reminder or cue.

pítcher

A wide-mouthed, deep vessel for holding liquids, with a spout or protruding lip and a handle; a water jug or jar with a large ear or handle.

pitcher experto

(US, baseball) The best pitcher on the team.

pitido

A short, electronically produced tone.

pitillo

A small cigar consisting of tobacco or another substance, wrapped up in a thin roll with paper, intended for smoking.

pito

A plant with edible seeds similar to peas and chickpeas of species Lathyrus sativus, used as a famine food but causing lathyrism if eaten in large amounts or over a long time.

pitón

(zoology) A type of large constricting snake.

pitorreo

The action of mocking; ridicule, derision.

pitorro

A tube or lip through which liquid or steam is poured or discharged.

pitote

An agitated disturbance or a hubbub.

pituca

Colocasia esculenta, raised as a food primarily for its corm, which distantly resembles potato.

pituco

(US, informal, somewhat, pejorative) A child, adolescent or young adult from a wealthy family, especially one who flaunts his or her wealth or privilege.

pitufo

(informal) A police officer or prison guard.

pituitario

(anatomy) Of or relating to the pituitary gland.

piular

(intransitive) To make a short, sharp, cheerful note, as of small birds or crickets; to chitter; to twitter.

pívot

(basketball) The player, generally the tallest, who plays closest to the basket.

pivotal

Being of crucial importance; central, key.

pivotar

(intransitive) To turn on an exact spot.

pivote

A similar post preventing vehicle access to a pedestrian area, to delineate traffic lanes, or used for security purposes.

píxel

One of the tiny dots that make up the representation of an image in a computer's memory.

piyamada

The act of spending the night as a guest in another's house, especially when the participants are children.

pizarra

Short for blackboard, whiteboard, chessboard, surfboard, circuit board, message board (on the Internet), bulletin board, etc.

pizarrero

One who lays slates, or whose occupation is to slate buildings.

pizarrín

(countable) A piece of chalk, or nowadays processed compressed gypsum (calcium sulfate, CaSO4), that is used for drawing and for writing on a blackboard (chalkboard).

pizarrón

Short for blackboard, whiteboard, chessboard, surfboard, circuit board, message board (on the Internet), bulletin board, etc.

pizca

A small quantity of a liquid substance etc.; less than 1/8 of a teaspoon.

pizpireto

Full of life; energetic, vivacious.

pizzería

A restaurant that bakes and sells pizzas.

placa

An identifying tag, usually made of metal, bearing a sequence of letters or numbers identifying the vehicle, and placed at the rear and, often, also at the front of a motor vehicle.

placa base

(computer hardware) The primary circuit board of a personal computer, containing the circuitry for the central processing unit, keyboard, mouse and monitor, together with slots for other devices.

placa conmemorativa

(countable) A piece of flat metal with writing on it, attached to a building, monument, or other structure to remind people of a person or an event.

placa de cocción

(UK, Irish, Commonwealth) The top cooking surface on a cooker; a cooktop. It typically comprises several cooking elements (often four), also known as 'rings'.

placa madre

(computer hardware) The primary circuit board of a personal computer, containing the circuitry for the central processing unit, keyboard, mouse and monitor, together with slots for other devices.

placaje

(rugby, American football, countable) A play where a defender brings the ball carrier to the ground.

placaminero

The tree this fruit grows on, generally one of two species of ebony: Diospyros kaki (Asian) or Diospyros virginiana (North American).

placar

To force a person to the ground with the weight of one's own body, usually by jumping on top or slamming one's weight into them.

placear

To assign something (especially finance) for a particular use.

placebo

(medicine) A dummy medicine containing no active ingredients; an inert treatment. [from 18th c.]

pláceme

The act of congratulating.

placemiento

(sometimes, proscribed) A casual, courteous remark.

placenta

(botany) In flowering plants, the part of the ovary where ovules develop; in non-flowering plants where the spores develop.

placentería

(sometimes, proscribed) A casual, courteous remark.

placentero

Giving pleasure; pleasing in manner.

placer

Joy; pleasure.

placer culpable

(idiomatic) Something that brings pleasure but is considered taboo, unadvisable or lowbrow.

placible

Giving pleasure; pleasing in manner.

placidez

The state of being placid; peacefulness.

plácido

Motionless and calm.

plafón

(architecture) The overhead interior surface that covers the upper limits of a room.

plag

(electricity) A pronged connecting device which fits into a mating socket, especially an electrical one.

plaga

Something that impedes development or growth, or spoils any other aspect of life.

plagado

(colloquial, usually with with) Filled or packed (with something, usually bad).

plagar

(transitive) To harass, pester or annoy someone persistently or incessantly.

plagiador

One who plagiarizes; or lifts the words, writings, or ideas of another, and passes them off as his or her own, thus engaging in plagiarism; a literary thief

plagiar

(ambitransitive) To use, and pass off as one's own, someone else's writing, speech, ideas, or other intellectual or creative work, especially in an academic context; to commit plagiarism.

plagiario

One who plagiarizes; or lifts the words, writings, or ideas of another, and passes them off as his or her own, thus engaging in plagiarism; a literary thief

plagio

(uncountable) Copying of another person's ideas, text, or other creative work, and presenting it as one's own, especially without permission; plagiarizing.

plaguear

(transitive) To refuse to accept; to forswear.

plaguicida

Anything, especially a synthetic substance but also any substance (e.g. sulfur), or virus, bacterium, or other organism, which kills or suppresses the activities of pests.

plan

(informal, by extension) Any detailed plan, whether literal or figurative.

plan B

An alternative plan to be put into operation if needed, especially in case of emergencies, or if a primary plan fails.

plan de urbanización

(legal) Legislative action for the purpose of regulating the use of property and the construction of buildings within the area under the jurisdiction of the legislative body concerned.

plana mayor

(military) An establishment of officers in various departments attached to an army, to a section of an army, or to the commander of an army. The general's staff consists of those officers about his person who are employed in carrying his commands into execution.

planar

To remain aloft by means of a glider or other unpowered aircraft.

planaridad

The state of being two-dimensional; planar : planarity

plancha

A hand-held device with a heated flat metal base used to smooth out wrinkles in clothes.

plancha culinaria

A stone or metal flat plate or surface on which food is fried or baked.

plancha quemada

Incorrect or untrue.

planchar

(transitive) To pass an iron over (clothing or some other item made of cloth) in order to remove creases.

plancheado

The act by which something blooms.

plancton

(uncountable) Organisms, especially small and microscopic ones, that drift in water.

planeado

Planned.

planeador

One who glides.

planeadora

One who glides.

planeamiento

The act of formulating of a course of action, or of drawing up plans.

planear

(intransitive) To glide along without adding energy; to allow a vehicle to continue moving forward after disengaging the engine or ceasing to apply motive power.

planes

(often, in the plural) Preparations for some undertaking.

planetario

A clockwork model of any given solar system.

planetoide

(astronomy) A naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and a dwarf planet, larger than a meteoroid and not a comet, that orbits a star and often has an irregular shape.

planga

Any of three species of large seabird in the genus Morus, of the family Sulidae. They have black and white bodies and long pointed wings, and hunt for fish by plunge diving and pursuing their prey underwater.

planicidad

The state of being flat

planicie

An expanse of land with relatively low relief and few trees, especially a grassy expanse.

plañidera

A hired mourner at a funeral; an undertaker's assistant. [from 18th c.]

plañidero

Sounding sorrowful, mournful or melancholic.

planificación

The act of formulating of a course of action, or of drawing up plans.

planificado

Planned; according to schedule.

planilla

A blank document or template to be filled in by the user.

plañir

(ambitransitive) To shout, scream, yell.

planking

The practice of lying face down with arms to the sides, in unusual public spaces, and taking photographs to record the act.

plano

(architecture, engineering, by extension) A detailed technical drawing (now often in some electronically storable and transmissible form).

plano de replanteo

(engineering) A map or a drawing of a construction site showing the position of roads, buildings or other constructions.

planta

A building or campus specially designed for a specific purpose, such as incarceration, military use, or scientific experimentation.

planta del pie

The bottom of the body of a plough; the slade.

planta medicinal

(countable) A plant whose roots, leaves or seeds, etc. are used in medicine.

planta neófita

(botany) A plant species recently introduced to an area (in contrast to archaeophyte, a long-established introduced species).

planta perenne

(botany) A plant that is active throughout the year, or has a life cycle of more than two growing seasons.

planta podal

The bottom of the body of a plough; the slade.

planta rodadora

Any plant which habitually breaks away from its roots once dry, forming a light, rolling mass which is driven by the wind from place to place; as Russian thistle, wild indigo, witch grass, Amaranthus albus, etc.

planta suculenta

A succulent plant.

plantación

(physics) The establishment of the definite quantum state of a particle, or of the occupation number of a system of particles

plantaina

Any plant of the genus Plantago, with a rosette of sessile leaves about 10 cm (4") long with a narrow part instead of a petiole, and with a spike inflorescence with the flower spacing varying widely among the species. See also psyllium.

plantaje

Green foliage or verdure.

plantar

(transitive) To cast off capriciously or unfeelingly, as a lover; to deceive in love.

planteamiento

(figuratively) A manner of making (a policy) or solving (a problem, etc.).

plantear

(ambitransitive, figuratively) Used intransitively, followed by to: to draw near (to someone or something); to make advances; to approximate or become almost equal.

plantel

A list of individuals or groups, usually for an organization of some kind such as military officers and enlisted personnel enrolled in a particular unit; a muster roll; a sports team, with the names of players who are eligible to be placed in the lineup for a particular game; or a list of students officially enrolled in a school or class.

plantilla

The inside sole of a shoe or other footwear.

plantilla de guía

(music) A light, brisk musical movement; a gigue.

plantín

A young tree, larger than a seedling.

plantío

A large farm; estate or area of land designated for agricultural growth. Often includes housing for the owner and workers.

plántula

(botany) A young plant grown from seed.

plasmación

(countable) A representation.

plasmar

To render a representation of something, using words, sounds, images, or other means. [from early 15th c.]

plasticar

(transitive) To cover (something flat, usually paper) in adhesive protective plastic.

plástico

Capable of being moulded; malleable, flexible, pliant. [from 17th c.]

plastificar

(transitive) To cover (something flat, usually paper) in adhesive protective plastic.

plata

(tincture) : of white or silver tincture on a coat of arms.

plata labrada

(collectively) Cutlery and other eating utensils, whether silver or made from some other white metal.

plataforma

A raised platform in a room for a high table, a seat of honour, a throne, or other dignified occupancy, such as ancestral statues; a similar platform supporting a lectern, pulpit, etc., which may be used to speak from. [from c. 1800.]

plátano

The tropical tree-like plant which bears clusters of bananas, a plant of the genus Musa (but sometimes also including plants from Ensete), which has large, elongated leaves. [from 1697]

plátano macho

The fruit of the plant, usually cooked before eating and used like potatoes.

platea

A group of people within hearing; specifically, a large gathering of people listening to or watching a performance, speech, etc. [from 15th c.]

plateado

Having a color like silver: a shiny gray.

platear

To coat a metal surface with a thin layer of silver, often electrolytically.

platería

(collectively) Cutlery and other eating utensils, whether silver or made from some other white metal.

plática

(British) A species in that genus, Abramis brama.

platicada

Expression and exchange of individual ideas through talking with other people; also, a set instance or occasion of such talking. [from 16th c.]

platicar

To be engaged in informal conversation.

platija

A European species of flatfish having dull brown colouring with reddish-brown blotches; fluke, European flounder (Platichthys flesus).

platillo

(percussion instrument) A concave plate of metal, usually brass or bronze, that produces a sharp, ringing sound when struck: played either in pairs, by striking them together, or singly by striking with a drumstick or the like.